Mick Hartley

What emerges most clearly from North Korean pronouncements in the wake of their nuclear and rocket testing, it seems to me, is the depth of their delusion. The divorce from reality. Enclosed in a self-imposed bubble, they seem to believe their own propaganda. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to reach the country's nuclear goals, according to state media.

The aim was to establish "equilibrium" of military force with the US, the KCNA news agency quoted him as saying.

Mr Kim's comments come after North Korea fired its latest missile over Japan – in what is being described as the country's farthest-reaching test.

The move split world powers who united behind new UN sanctions against North Korea just days ago.

"We should clearly show the big power chauvinists how our state attain the goal of completing its nuclear force despite their limitless sanctions and blockade," Mr Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA.

He also said North Korea's goal was "to establish the equilibrium of real force with the US and make the US rulers dare not talk about military option for the DPRK [North Korea]".

Nuclear parity with the US? It's absurd.

Delusion and childishness. Let's not forget the childishness. The bluster and braggadocio. Like this, from the official Rodong Sinmun today - U.S. fate is in hands of DPRK:

The DPRK carried out a successful test of H-bomb for ICBM with its own efforts and technology despite vicious sanctions and pressure put on it by the hostile forces.

No one can ignore the tremendous national power and potentials of the DPRK and what has become irreversible is its strategic position as a responsible nuclear weapons state which exercises huge influence on peace in Asia and the rest of the world.

The U.S. is swaggering as if it did something big after cooking up another "sanctions resolution" against the DPRK by mobilizing its followers and riff-raffs.

Through the two successful ICBM test-launches the DPRK has put the whole U.S. mainland in its striking range and clearly showed that it can turn the American empire into a sea in flames through sudden surprise attack from any region and area.

Even though the DPRK gave advices and warnings enough to be understood, the U.S. has persisted in the unrealistic hostile policy toward it, seeking to realize it by force. This has pushed the U.S. into such a tragic situation as today.

The U.S. might have complex mental state due to its consecutive setbacks in the confrontation with the DPRK, but it has to draw a lesson and make a correct judgment.

Whatever means and methods the U.S. may employ, they will never work on the DPRK. The U.S. fate is in the hands of the DPRK.

Yeah, right. 

These are children in a serious adult world. Playing with big-boy toys. It's always claimed that there's a keen strategic intelligence behind the bluster, and it's true that this pathological dysfunctional nightmare of a state has managed to survive for over sixty years – thank China for that – but you can't help wondering…